Amare Barno – Carolina Panthers DE/OLB
There was some early notoriety for Amare Barno this week. It was revealed that the sixth-round pick was chosen as the fastest defensive end on the upcoming Madden 22 video game with a 92 overall score, which comes as no surprise when one examines his production in college and a phenomenal display during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Barno is yet another with an outstanding Relative Athletic Score that the Carolina Panthers brought on board. The former Virginia Tech product is a little undersized and rough around the edges, but his eye-catching explosiveness could see him emerge as a core rotational piece behind some more established stars if everything goes well in training camp.
One reason why Barno dropped dramatically in the draft was a decrease in numbers during his final college season. But if he returns to the form that resulted in 16 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2020, the Panthers might just be onto something.
It’s hard to look at Barno’s attributes and not think he’ll be an asset over time. However, a scenario could also emerge where the edge defender shines in camp to such an extent that Carolina has no option other than to throw him in at the deep end.
Improving his ability against the run and refining pass-rushing moves would be a solid platform for Barno to build. If he can achieve these improvements early on, then catching the eye is almost a guarantee.